Thierry Tomety (b. 1993) is an emergent self-taught visual artist from Togo, living and working in Lomé. His artistic process is rooted in introspection as a means of engaging the subconscious. Working primarily in collage and sculpture, Tomety creates layered compositions in paper, fibres, and cardboard in which subtle shadow-like figures and forms, evoking moments of community, intimacy and, human connection to the universe. 

Photo Credit: Ross Willows

" I feel a profound connection between my subconscious and the natural world. It is as if the space around me whispers its secrets through my mind, revealing intriguing facts and coincidences. My ultimate purpose is to unveil the beauty and the unique creativity of the nature through my art."

Thierry Tomety (b. 1993) is an emerging self-taught Togolese visual artist living and working in Lomé. Initially drawn to informatique, Tomety later discovered his profound sensitivy to colours, ultimately leading him towards a career in the visual arts. Working primarily in collage and sculpture, his practice is rooted in introspection and an ongoing exploration of the subconscious. 

Tomety's work emerges through an intuitive process in which shapes, figures, and symbols gradually reveal themselves. While his sculptural practice often involves more conceptual elements, his collage works focus on the human figure and the invisible connections that bind individuals to one another and to nature. Carefully layering paper, fibres or carboard, Tomety constructs subtle, often shadow-like figures. Themese of community, intimacy, and connection run throughout his work, expressed through a palette of earthy tones punctuated by flashes of vibrant colour. Hidden details and symbolic elements embedded within the layers give his works a dynamic element, encouraging both close observation and contemplative distance. 

Gestation, Thierry Tomety, 2026, Paper cloths and fiber on canvas, 120x180cm

More recently, Tomety has developed the series Paléidolie, a body of abstract works in which elusive figures and forms emerge from the richly textured surfaces. Inspired by pareidolia, the human tendency to perceive meaninful images within abstract patterns, the series immerses the viewers in dreamlike spaces where forms may appear to them. These works perhaps reflect humanity's continued search for connection and meaning within the vastness of the unknown, creating a bridge between external reality and the subconscious mind.

Tomety has exhibited internationally, with presentations in France, Morocco, the United States, and the United Kingdom. His work has been featured in institutional exhibitions at the Palais de Lomé and the Montresso Art Foundation, and in 2022 he participated in a residency at Art Omi in New York. In 2023, he was selected as a finalist for the Ellipse Art Prize.